Lazy susan dispenser



Jan. 4, 1966 E. G. AHLMAN LAZY SUSAN DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 17, 1964 Einar 6. All/man INVENTOR.

Jan. 4, 1966 Filed March 17, 1964 E. G. AHLMAN LAZY SUSAN DISPENSER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 'Einar 6. Ah/man INVENTOR United States Patent()3,227,283 LAZY SUSAN DISPENSER lEinahG. Ahlman, Box 16, Rte. 307,Austinburg, Ohio :EiledMar. 17, 19.64, Set-No. 352,512.

. 8 Claims. .(Cl. 21-1-69) This invention relates to a novel and usefulLazy ,Susanand more specifically to an apparatus of the Lazy .Susan iypedesigned; primarily for use ona desk and to support numerous types ofwriting equipment and accessories. However,.it.is.to be noted that theLazy Susan of theinstant invention could also be utilizedto advantage inother envir nments and for supporting numerous other iypesof articles.

The-Lazy Susanpf the instant invention includes a base towhichthelowerend of an upstanding post is secured. turntable is rotatablymountedon the post with a thrust .bearingdisposed betweenthe lower end of aturntable. and .the base. The turntable-includes numerous tray-likecompartrrientsthat are disposed circumferentially thereabout in twovertically spaced sets of compartments and also \variousothertypes ofcircumferentially spacedcompart- -.me.uts.

Themain objectof this invention isito provide an appae .ratus of theLazySusan type adapted for use in various ,environments'wherein it isadvantageous to have .a plu- .rality of readily accessible compartmentsfor storing a ,pluralitypfdilferent kinds of articles.

- Another object of this invention is to provid-ea Lazy Susan inaccordance withthe preceding object which is specifically adapted 10support writing equipment and accessories such as those found about i adesk.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Lazy Sus'an jthathas apleasing appearance. a

with-the preceding objects which will conform to conventiorial forms ofmanufacture, be of simple construction and easy to'use so as .to providea device that will .be economically *feasible, long-lasting andrelativelytroublefree in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages .which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of constructionand'operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective viewof the Lazy Susanof the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an'enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upona plane passing through the center of the Lazy Susan; and V FIGURES 3and 4 arehorizontizlsectional views taken substantially upon the planesindicated by the section lines 3-3 and 44, respectively, of FIGURE 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates the Lazy Susan of the instant invention. The LazySusan lil includes a generally circular base 12 to which the lower endof an upright post 14 is secured. A turntable generally referred to bythe reference numeral 16 is provided and includes a conical core 18having an upstanding bore 20 formed therethrough which snugly receivesthe post 14 thereby rotatably mounting the turntable 16 on the post 14.In addition, it may be seen that a thrust bearing 22 including an upperrace 24 and a lower race 26 separated by means of a plurality ofanti-friction balls 28 is provided and disposed about the post 14between the lower end of the core 18 in the base 12.

The turntable 16 includes an outer sleeve portion 30 i 3,227,283Patented Jan. 4, 1966 whose lower end is secured to and supportedfrom aplurality of generally radially outwardly projecting upstandingpartition members 32 spaced circumferentially about the lowerend of thecore 18. Thelower end of the core ,18 includes an outwardly projectingand generally annular flange 34 including portions extending beneath thelower end of the sleeve portion in vertically spaced relation theretoand projecting outwardly beyond the outer surfaces of the sleeve portion30. From FIGURES .1 and 2 of thedrawings it may be seen that the flange34 curves outwardly and upwardly at its outer marginal portions andthatthe partition members 32 divide the tray formed by the flange 34 into aplurality of tray segments, each defining a storage area incommunication with the area .disposedbetween the core 18,and the sleeveportion 3.0 disposed thereabove.

.From FIGUREZof the drawings itmay be seen that .the sleeve portion 30includes a second outwardly projecting and generally annular flange 36which is subteh partition members 32 and have the lower end of an outersleeve member 40 secured thereto for support therefrom. The ,outersleeve member .40 is similar to the sleeve portion 30 and it may be seenfrom FIGURE ,2 of the drawings that a top closure wall .42 which iscentrally apertured as at 4.4 is provided and is secured to the upperendbf the post 14 which is. externally threaded as at 46 by means of aknob 43 having a threaded blindbore 50 formed-therein. The-knob .48 isthreadedly engaged on the externallythreaded portion 46 ofthe post 14and an anti-friction washer 52 -is disposed between the confrontingsurfaces of the knob 48 and the closure ,wall ,42.

The second annular outwardly projecting flange 3.6 has a plurality ofsmall openings 54 formed in portions thereof and the portions of theclosure wall 42 disposed above the openings 54 are provided withopenings 56 in alignment with .the .openings 54. The openings 56 areeachlarger in diameter than the openings 54 and the latter are adaptedto receive the pointed ends 58 of pencils 60 passed downwardly throughthe opening ,56 formed in the closure Wall 42. Each of the segmentsformed between adjacent walls of the partition members 32 and34 isincommunication with the storage area disposed immediately thereabovedefined by the corresponding sleeve portion 30 orsleeve member '40 andmay be utilized to support various types of articles.

From FIGURE 2 of the drawings it will be noted that;the outer sleeve.member 4% includes extended portions 62 which project down into eachtray segment having the openings 54 formed therein. In this manner, aclosed compartment 64 is formed above each apertured tray segment.

In operation, the pencils 60 may be supported in the manner illustratedin FIGURE 2 of the drawings together with pens and other similararticles while various other types of writing equipment and accessoriesmay be supported from the plurality of tray segments defined by theflanges 34 and 36.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A Lazy Susan comprising a base, an upstanding turntable meansrotatably mounted on said base, thrust bearing means disposed betweensaid base and the lower end of said turntable means, said turntablemeans ineluding an upstanding center core and an outer sleeve portiondisposed about said core and defining a vertically elongated annularstorage area between said core and said sleeve portion, a plurality ofgenerally radially extending and upstanding partition members securedbetween said core and sleeve portion at points spaced circumferentiallyabout said storage area and dividing the latter into a plurality ofsegments, said sleeve portion terminating at its lower end above theportions of said base disposed therebeneath, said core including anoutwardly projecting generally annular flange including portionsextending beneath the lower end of said sleeve portion in verticallyspaced relation thereto and projecting outwardly beyond the outersurfaces of said sleeve portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least some of said segments areprovided with closure walls at their upper ends extending between saidcore and the corresponding portions of said sleeve portion and betweencorresponding partition members of said Lazy Susan.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said generally annular flangecurves upwardly and outwardly at its outer marginal portions.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein an outer sleeve member is disposedabout said sleeve portion and defines a second vertically elongatedannular storage area between said sleeve portion and said sleeve member,a plurality of generally radially extending partition members securedbetween said sleeve portion and said sleeve member at points spacedcireumferentially about said second storage area and dividing the latterinto a plurality of compartments, said sleeve portion including a secondgenerally annular outwardly projecting flange including portionsextending beneath the lower end of said sleeve member in verticallyspaced relation to the latter and projecting outwardly beyond the outersurfaces of said sleeve member.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said second annular flange curvesupwardly and outwardly at its outer marginal portions.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein an outer sleeve member is disposedabout said sleeve portion and defines a second vertically elongatedannular storage area between said sleeve portion and said sleeve member,a plurality of generally radially extending partition members securedbetween said sleeve portion and said sleeve member at points spacedcircumferentially about said second storage area and dividing the latterinto a plurality of compartments, said sleeve portion including a secondgenmember in vertically spaced relation to the latter and projectingoutwardly beyond the outer surfaces of'said sleeve member, at least someof said compartments being provide-d with closure walls at their upperends extending between said sleeve portion and said sleeve member andpartition members.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein an outer sleeve member is disposedabout said sleeve portion and defines a second vertically elongatedannular storage area between said sleeve portion and said sleeve member,a plurality of generally radially extending partition members securedbetween said sleeve portion and said sleexe member at points spacedcircumferentially about said second storage area and dividing the latterinto a' plurality of compartments, said sleeve portion including asecond generally annular outwardly projecting flange ineluding portionsextending beneath the lower'end of said sleeve member in verticallyspaced relation to the latter and projecting outwardly beyond the outersurfaces of said sleeve member, at least some of said compartments beingprovided with closure walls at their upper ends extending between saidsleeve portion and said sleeve member and partition members, said secondannular flange curving upwardly and outwardly at its outer marginalportions.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein an outer sleeve member is disposedabout said sleeve portion and defines a second vertically elongatedannular storage area between said sleeve portion and said sleeve member,a plurality of generally radially extending partition members securedbetween said sleeve portion and said sleeve member at points spacedcircumferentially about said second storage area and dividing the latterinto a plurality of compartments, said sleeve portion including a secondgenerally annular outwardly projecting flange including portionsextending beneath the lower end of said sleeve member in verticallyspaced relation to the latter and projecting outwardly beyond the outersurf-aces of said sleeve member, at least some of said compartmentsbeing provided with closure walls at their upper ends extending betweensaid sleeve portion and said sleeve member and partition members, atleast some portions of said second flange having openings formed thereinadapted to receive the pointed ends of pencils, the last-mentionedclosure walls including some portions having openings formed therein inalignment with the first-mentioned openings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,796 4/1917Egbert 312-252 2,473,026 6/1949 Heath 21 160 2,749,198 6/1956 Berber312- 252 3,135,389 6/1964 Farley 21l37 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, PrimaryExaminer. K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner.

1. A LAZY SUSAN COMPRISING A BASE, AN UPSTANDING TURNTABLE MEANSROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, THRUST BEARING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEENSAID BASE AND THE LOWER END OF SAID TURNTABLE MEANS, SAID TURNTABLEMEANS INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING CENTER CORE AND AN OUTER SLEEVE PORTIONDISPOSED ABOUT SAID CORE AND DEFINING A VERTICALLY ELONGATED ANNULARSTORAGE AREA BETWEEN SAID CORE AND SAID SLEEVE PORTION, A PLURALITY OFGENERALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING AND UPSTANDING PARTITION MEMBERS SECUREDBETWEEN SAID CORE AND SLEEVE PORTION AT POINTS SPACES CIRCUMFERENTIALLYABOUT SAID STORAGE AREA AND DIVIDING THE LATTER INTO A PLURALITY OFSEGMENTS, SAID SLEEVE PORTION TERMINATING AT ITS LOWER END ABOVE THEPORTIONS OF SAID BASE DISPOSED THEREBENEATH, SAID CORE INCLUDING ANOUTWARDLY PROJECTING GENERALLY ANNULAR FLANGE INCLUDING PORTIONSEXTENDING BENEATH THE LOWER END OF SAID SLEEVE PORTION IN VERTICALLYSPACED RELATION THERETO AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE OUTERSURFACES OF SAID SLEEVE PORTION.